LL Cool J Assault, Def Jam label introductory showcase, Benjamin Franklin H.S.: Museum Object and Cultural History
LL Cool J Assault, Def Jam label introductory showcase, Benjamin Franklin H.S.: Date: 1984. Photograph by: Harry Allen, American, born 1964. Subject of: LL Cool J, American, born 1968.

The object in the museum catalogue
A black-and-white photograph of LL Cool J performing at Benjamin Franklin High School, the third in a series of four photographs. Cool J is pictured to the right of frame, higher than the crowd in front of and to his right. He is holding a microphone to his mouth with his left hand and holding a record cover in his outstretched right hand. To the left of frame, fans in the crowd hold their hands up and out towards LL Cool J. On the back of the photograph, an inscription written by Bill Adler identifies the subject and the photographer.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: 1984
- Photograph by: Harry Allen, American, born 1964
- Subject of: LL Cool J, American, born 1968
- Subject of: Def Jam Recordings, American, founded 1984
- Subject of: Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics, American, founded 1943
- Type: gelatin silver prints
- Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
- Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 11 × 14 in. (27.9 × 35.6 cm)
- Dimensions: H x W (Image): 8 9/16 × 12 7/8 in. (21.8 × 32.7 cm)
- Place captured: East Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Topic: African American
- Topic: Actors
- Topic: Education
- Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
- Topic: Musicians
- Topic: Photography
- Topic: Rappers (Musicians)
- Object number: 2015.132.44.3
- Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Harry Allen Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.


